Failing to properly maintain your furnace can lead to many negative consequences, as outlined in our article, Why Regular Furnace Repair is Necessary for Your Home. However, unless you have some expertise, or have your furnace regularly checked by a professional, you may not know your furnace is failing before its too late. Our furnace repair professionals at Edwin Stipe HVAC & Plumbing have outlined some signs that your furnace needs to be serviced:
Metal cracks and discoloration
One of the easiest ways to spot furnace damage is to check its heat exchanger for any metal cracks and discolorations. Simply examining it with a flashlight to check for damage can accomplish this. However, if you find no damage and are still experiencing problems, it may be wise to check with a professional as they can use infrared lights to be more scrupulous in their inspection.
Carbon monoxide
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off and you have been having problems with your furnace, there is a high chance that your heat exchanger is broken. Carbon monoxide is one of the byproducts of the combustion process that furnaces utilize to control humidity. A damaged furnace can lead to leakage of carbon monoxide to your home and pose dangers to your family. Call our furnace repair technicians and the local fire department immediately if you find yourself in this situation.
Inadequate heat distribution
A healthy furnace should distribute heat as equally as possible throughout your home. If you find that some of the rooms in your home are too cold and others are too hot, this can be a sign of your furnace failing. Check for any of the symptoms listed above if you are having this problem and consider calling a technician to conduct furnace repair.
Higher energy bills
Clogged filters, dirty fuel nozzles and worn out belts are a few things that can cause your furnace to run inefficiently. When this happens, your furnace will be working harder than it should to keep your home warm, and thus your energy usage will increase. Check your energy bills for any abnormal spikes to help you determine if your furnace is not working properly.
Keeping a close eye on the health of your furnace is essential for the comfort of your home and safety of your family. Although discomfort can be a definite sign that your furnace is in need of repair, doing a bit of extra research into the details mentioned above is a great way to be positive that your home is not being heated the way it should. If you are ever in doubt and want to err on the side of caution, give our furnace repair professionals, serving in and around Phillipsburg, Stewartsville or Nazareth, a call at 610-258-0201 and they will be happy to guide you through the diagnostic process.
